EU Commission Proposes Rule Change to Enable Gene Editing in Crop Plants Comparable to Conventional Breeding
EU Commission Proposes Rule Change to Enable Gene Editing in Crop Plants Comparable to Conventional Breeding
After the long-running virtual exclusion of genetic engineering in agriculture in Europe, change is now in the air, with the European Commission putting forward a proposal to update EU rules to reflect the greater precision of new gene editing techniques.
The European Commission has presented a proposal to modernise EU regulations on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to incorporate new gene editing techniques.
Under the proposal, genetically modified plants obtained through methods like CRISPR will be exempt from GMO rules as long as the modifications are comparable to those achievable through conventional breeding techniques.
This change aims to foster innovation in agriculture by recognising the precision and potential benefits of gene editing technologies; which can enhance crop resilience, pest resistance, yield, and sustainability.